Lawmakers Challenge HHS Over Legal Representation Contracts for Migrant Children

Congressional Democrats are intensifying pressure on federal health officials after the government terminated contracts with established legal advocacy groups and moved to award new deals to firms with alleged political ties and limited immigration expertise. In a letter delivered Monday to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), 63 lawmakers expressed deep alarm over the selection process.

The correspondence criticizes the ORR’s decision to grant a no-bid contract worth $158 million to Utah-based Our Rescue, formerly known as Operation Underground Railroad. The organization, led by former DHS official Derek Benner, was founded by activist Tim Ballard, who stepped down in 2023 following misconduct allegations that he denied.

Lawmakers argued that Our Rescue is ill-equipped to handle the legal needs of unaccompanied children, noting that legal services are not listed among the group’s primary functions. They cited the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, which mandates that the ORR provide confidential and qualified legal consultation to these minors.

“We are gravely concerned that ORR would entrust a vulnerable population with firms so plainly unqualified for the task,” the lawmakers wrote. “If ORR proceeds with this contract, it will be gambling with the legal fate of thousands of children on an organization that has not clearly demonstrated it can do this work.”

Additionally, the letter highlighted a separate incident involving a $150 million contract intended for the Burke Law Group, a small Texas firm founded by a former Trump appointee. The firm withdrew from consideration after facing scrutiny from lawmakers and advocacy groups regarding its lack of experience with migrant children.

In defense of its decisions, an HHS spokesperson described Our Rescue as a premier organization dedicated to combating human trafficking globally. The statement emphasized that the group possesses a deep understanding of criminal networks and foreign populations, positioning them to recognize victimization and pursue available immigration legal avenues for children.

Rep. Joaquin Castro and Rep. Jasmine Crockett were among the signatories. Castro told ABC News that unaccompanied minors represent the most vulnerable segment of the immigration system and that cutting ties with experienced providers jeopardizes their well-being. He stressed that there is both a moral and statutory obligation to ensure these children receive quality legal representation.

Michael Lukens, executive director of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, which previously held a government contract that was terminated, described the current climate as an unprecedented attack on immigrant children. He reported seeing children pressured into voluntary removal proceedings without counsel, despite government mandates to provide legal assistance.

Advocacy groups have also raised concerns about aggressive enforcement tactics, including reports that DHS agents visited nonprofit offices in the Washington area and that immigration agents are directing children toward self-deportation. Lukens called for meaningful, expert advocacy rather than what he termed political maneuvering.